I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing method for filling in at least one void defect in a relatively high-resolution sampled original image.
II. Description of the Prior Art
One of the inventors of the present invention, Dr. Peter J. Burt, has developed an image-processing algorithm, known as the "Burt Pyramid," which is discussed in some detail in several articles that are listed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,125, filed Apr. 4, 1984, by Carlson et al., and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention (the subject matter of this U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,125 being incorporated by reference herein). This copending application has matured into U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,125 issued June 16, 1987 and entitled "Real-Time Hierarchal Pyramid Signal Processing Apparatus". One of the articles listed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,125, which is of particular interest in connection with the present invention, is: "A Multiresolution Spline with Applications to Image Mosaics," by Peter J. Burt et al., Image Processing Laboratory, Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, June, 1983. Also incorporated by reference is the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,986, filed May 18, 1984, by Adelson, entitled "Improved Depth-of-Focus Imaging Processing Method," which is also assigned to the same assignee as the present application. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,986 makes use of the Burt Pyramid for the purpose of synthesizing a relatively large depth-of-focus two-dimensional image of a three-dimensional scene from two or more differently focussed, separate, relatively small depth-of-focus two-dimensional images of this three-dimensional scene.